


Date Night

by Caligraphunky



Category: Motorcity
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-09
Updated: 2013-01-09
Packaged: 2017-11-24 07:24:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/631905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caligraphunky/pseuds/Caligraphunky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dutch has to pull over on a big night with Tennie, leaving them vulnerable to fatherly attentions...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Date Night

“Sorry about this,” Dutch could only smile apologetically in his rearview at Tennie in the back seat as he pulled into Mutt Dogs that evening, “Coulda sworn I got finally got the frequency of the sonic blasters back into place but there they are…knocking again.” The finish was weak and Dutch felt like he was radiating awkwardness, like some kind of night-ruining blast furnace set to 11.

This just really wasn’t how his first real time alone with Tennie without bots or gangs or energy grids or anything should be going, rumbling back to base with a knocking subwoofer that could potentially short the entire engine, and while Dutch had thought the last thing he wanted was to take Tennie back to Mutt Dogs and fix the problem, that was really more the penultimate thing. The actual last thing he wanted was to have to call the Burners for a ride home.

So there they were, at Jacob’s little garden, Dutch offering one hand to help Tennie out of the back seat while he hefting his toolbox out of the car’s storage with the other, Tennie stepping on Dutch’s toe, apologizing profusely before the both of them exchanged glances, Dutch balancing on one foot and Tennie with her hand over her mouth before they completely dissolved into giggles.

“OK, OK, Tennie…Make yourself at home while I work on this,” Dutch spoke around guffaws as he bent over one of Whiptail’s subwoofers, but those choked in his throat when he felt the presence of someone hovering over him, just close enough that he could feel body heat but not quite enough to touch.

Dutch gulped around the knot in his throat where all the words he could have been saying at that moment were stuck and building up. Slowly, gingerly, he moved his arm down like a crane to fish a wrench out of the box, keeping the rest of his body perfectly still and the agonizingly close distance between him and the body above him exact and even. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if the gap were to close, but the image of Chuck finding a spider in his underwear came to mind, and that was enough to convince him to stay right where he was.

“Tennie…This is kind of a one man job, but if you really wanna help…” Dutch put on what he hoped was a sly grin, though the slyest he could make under the circumstances was really more of a nervous smirk, and started to slowly twist his body around.

“What was that?” Came Tennie’s voice from the other side of the room, turned away as she examined the decorations on the wall.

“Aw, you can probably handle a simple repair job, but if you wanna make your ride totally awesome you got the right guy! YEAH TEXAS!”

Dutch found himself face to face and far too close with the giant smile of his teammate.

It happened very fast, but acting on his first instinct had Dutch scrambling straight backwards, right out from under Texas and right up on top of Whiptail, moving just like a spider, although Dutch wondered if being caught in Chuck’s underwear drawer would be more or less embarrassing then being here right now. His hands squeaked as they slipped out from under him and he fell heavily on his back, high centering on the purple dome with a painful thud. Around the sound of his own heavy gasping and pounding heart, he dimly noticed that the arm holding the wrench was crooked back, like he was going to swing it at something.

Apparently, his second instinct was to brain Texas with a heavy metal object. Dutch decided to put serious consideration into swapping the order of his instincts.

Draped over Whiptail gave a good, if upside down, vantage point to see Tennie with the most bemused expression Dutch had seen on her face or anyone’s face.

“I…didn’t think you’d need my help just to tighten up some bolts.”

“Oh, hey!” Texas turned and waved at Tennie, his whole torso rocking back and forth with his arm, “Hey there…uh…what’s-your-name! Julie! No. No, Texas got you confused with somebody else. You’re….you’re, you’re , you’re, yer Cla- Wait, don’t think that’s it either. Your name is…Uh…Well whoever you are, hi!”

Underwear drawer. Definitely the less embarrassing choice.

“ _Texas,_ ” it was more gasp then word, the wind firmly knocked out of Dutch’s lungs, “did…did you need something?”

“Nah, don’t worry about it, buddy! Just heard you pull in, wanted to say hi, wish you good on your date. Nothin’ big. We can get to making your sonic blaster the coolest thing ever when you get back!”

“Great,” Dutch pulled himself up slowly. Falling on his car had hurt quite a bit. “Fine. Good. That’s great. Hi.” It was a lot more effort than he wanted to expend in front of Tennie but he managed to sit cross-legged on top of Whiptail and not look like he was in too much pain. It was a start.

“Was that all?”

“Think so!”

“You can go then,” Dutch started the slow climb off the car, “ _now._ ”

Texas turned to leave. “Ah, sure thing, man! Good luck with whatever you crazy kids are doing!”

Dutch had never been happier to see that guy’s back in his life, but it would have been a little more of a victory if he hadn’t seen his front today either. He hit the ground, staring deep into the subwoofer for a moment.

 _This is all your fault._ It was time to run some damage control. Dutch looked up, lifting his head despite the crushing embarrassment that was currently sitting on it.

“Tennie, I-” But Tennie was gone. So was Texas.

This made no sense. He’d looked away for maybe a second and a half. _Where’d they go?_

“Oh no.” There were voices around the corner. A voice, deep and rumbling.

“Now listen here, little lady,” Texas was saying, “Texas needs to make you understand that guy out there? He’s one-of-a-kind. And you gotta be one-of-a-kind to be worthy of him.”

“Uh…” That was Tennie, sounding as confused as Dutch had ever heard her.

_Oh no. Oh no no._

“Get my little man home by midnight, you understand? Texas doesn’t wanna have to come looking for you two. You don’t wanna be on the bad side of a Muy Thai master. Texas is not afraid to go back to jail.”

“I…” Dutch couldn’t read her voice, but he bounded across the room like a gazelle.

 _That idiot! He’s never even_ been _to jail!_

“Now let’s talk about your… _intentions_ with Dutch-”

“Wha-“

“Texas!”

He had his arm draped around Tennie and was poking her shoulder to emphasize his point. “Oh hey Dutch! Just laying down some rules to your girlfriend before you-”

“Tennie? _Time to go._ ”

Tennie took the cue to push the arm off her shoulders, and start walking. She kept her face carefully impassive as she walked to Dutch, stopping only to take his hand and motion with her head that he should follow. Texas watched the two of them go.

“OK, OK, have fun you two! Midnight! Don’t forget!”

Dutch shot Texas one final glare over his shoulder, before swinging his head around to face her.

“Tennie, I am so, so sorr-”

He was cut off by a snort. Tennie’s mouth was simultaneously pinched and twisted upwards in an uneven smirk, her lower lip trembling as she bit it. Her eyes were tearing up and she took a shaking breath that let escape one choked off guffaw.

“Dutch,” she said in a shaking voice, “you are gonna _have_ to take me to hang out with your friends more often.”

“Don’t you listen to him, OK? He’s nuts! His brain is scrambled and _don’t you start laughing!_ ”

Texas could hear Tennie’s laughter all the way down the street as they drove off in Whiptail, and he nodded to himself with a knowing smile.

He’d made sure Dutch was in good hands.


End file.
